“a wonderfully cinematic album, a sonic backdrop to the end of the world painted in sorrowful and sweeping strings, coalescing organs” – Consequence of Sound

“Beautiful – both melancholy and uplifting at the same time“- CNN

Soulsavers have now unveiled the second and third parts of their four-part interview series chronicling the production of their latest album, The Light The Dead See. Part one can also be viewed here; stay tuned for the fourth and final part.

Out now via Mute, The Light The Dead See is the band’s fourth studio album, with collaboration from Dave Gahan, recorded at various locations across the globe and mastered at Abbey Road. This follow-up to 2009’s Broken, can be purchased now on CD or download. LP format will be available July 17th.

The Light The Dead See Track Listing:

La Ribera

In The Morning

Longest Day

Presence of God

Just Try

Gone Too Far

Point Sur Pt. 1

Take Me Back Home

Bitterman

I Can’t Stay

Take

Tonight

Venturing out from the studio to the road, Soulsavers were invited to support Depeche Mode on the European leg of the band’s vast 2010 Tour of the Universe. Here, the seeds of The Light The Dead See were sewn. With Gahan penning lyrics for the music and recording his own vocals in New York, then Machin building up the results into fully-formed and arranged epics, the international project was a case of “chemistry working”. The album was mastered at Abbey Road earlier this year.

“There was no real script,” says Rich Machin of the extraordinary fourth album The Light The Dead See, a set of songs of majesty and momentum. “It just rolled and rolled; it was effortless.” Joining forces with Dave Gahan it immediately became clear that this was going to be something very special. “We realized we were coming from the same place in so many ways,” adds Machin. “He’s really laid himself bare on this record, his contribution is astonishing.” Says Gahan, “Everything about it was relatively unplanned, surprising: a magical thing. We were a perfect match and I’m very, very excited about this record.”

Soulsavers – the music and production team of Rich Machin and Ian Glover – have been a growing force since 2003’s debut Tough Guys Don’t Dance. 2007’s It’s Not How Far You Fall, It’s The Way You Land brought their dark flair to a wider audience. The inimitable Mark Lanegan served as primary singer, though there were also vocal contributions from Will Oldham and Jimi Goodwin. In 2009, third album Broken confirmed that Soulsavers were moving away from early electronica to earthier guitars, use of space and what Machin described as “a soulful twist.” Lanegan again led the vocals on stand-outs such as ‘You Will Miss Me When I Burn’ and ‘All The Way Down’, with other guest vocalists including Oldham again, Jason Pierce, Richard Hawley, Mike Patton and Gibby Haynes. Clearly, there was no shortage of acclaimed singers ready to lend their lungs to Soulsavers’ stirring, seductive, soothing or startling creations.